Lisa R. Howeler's Blog, page 77
December 13, 2022
A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 5
Welcome to the fourth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.
You can catch up on chapters HERE.
If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,
The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.
Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.
Chapter 5
Snow and ice crunched under Alex’s feet as he walked to the barn. The snow had started to stick overnight, but not enough to leave much more than a dusting. Inside the barn, Robert and Jason were already preparing the cows for milking.
Molly was busy cleaning the stalls to prepare for fresh bedding to be laid down. It wasn’t until a couple hours later that he and Robert were alone, preparing the feed for the afternoon milking.
Robert looked up at him as he measured the nutrients to pour in for the calves’ feed. “How’s your project going?”
“Not great.”
Robert laughed. “Mine either.”
“What’s happening with yours?”
“Supply issues. Limited time. Yours?”
“Same.”
Robert yawned. “Think you’ll get it done?
Alex nodded. “Burt is working on the engine and I’m working on the exterior. Even with that one part for the engine delayed, I think we’ll pull through.”
“Good. We can’t let our girls down, can we?”
Alex laughed softly. “No. We can’t. Even though they don’t even know what we are doing.”
Robert started filling the calf bottles. “They don’t, but I know they will appreciate whatever we do for them. We’re two lucky men.”
A muscle jumped next to Alex’s eye. Was Robert about to venture into the topic of conversation his brother-in-law and mother had? The subject needed to be changed as quick as possible.
“Yes, we are. Hey, I’m off to repair that fence in the upper field. Don’t want to take a chance on the new bull getting out.”
He walked briskly toward the door before Robert could ask him anything about his “intentions with Molly” or some similar line of conversation. Inside his trucks he let out a quick huff of breath.
Crisis averted. For now, anyhow.
He had grown close to Robert, a man who had been like a father to him more than his own had ever been. Sometimes that made dating Robert’s daughter even more awkward. Alex still vividly remembered the night the man had walked in on them kissing in the barn about a year and a half ago. He’d thought Robert was either going to punch him or have a heart attack, or maybe both – the heart attack after he punched him.
Despite the awkwardness, Alex was grateful for the Tanners and the way they had become like family to him.
Before coming to live with Jason, Christmases had been awkward, especially after his parents had divorced. Alex was glad he’d been in college when they divorced and that there had been some happy Christmases when he was younger, even though his dad was rarely home and his parents argued often. There had been a few traditions he and his brother had tried to keep alive, even when the relationship between his parents started to sour, around the time Alex was 11.
Decorating the tree the day after Thanksgiving was one tradition they held on to, sometimes decorating it alone while their parents hissed insults at each other in the next room.
They kept that tradition alive until they both had gone to college. Then Sam had started working for their dad, taking the road their dad had wanted for both of his sons, and the distance only grew between them. For the last five years, Alex had spent his Christmases with the Tanners and had either called or texted Sam instead of visiting. A couple of years ago he had driven four hours to Baltimore the week before Christmas to meet up with Sam and his current girlfriend, Brittany.
Even though he and Sam kept in contact Alex wouldn’t define their relationship as close, especially as Sam became more and more like their father – obsessed with his career and looking like he had it all together, whether he did or not. Alex still held good memories of Sam, though, and didn’t want to completely lose the fragile relationship they had.
Parking his truck next to the fence line in the upper field, Alex reached for his phone and started to text.
“Hey. Wanted to connect and see if you want to meet up after Christmas this year for some lunch somewhere. I could meet you halfway or head down to Baltimore. Let me know.”
He clicked send, a large part of him hoping Sam would decline or didn’t answer at all. Sliding the phone back into his pocket he looked out over the field, the yellow and brown grass dotted with snow. Seven years ago, he’d stood here with Molly’s grandfather, Ned Tanner. Alzheimer’s had already started showing itself, but the man was connecting well that day. Alex was shocked by how quickly the disease had progressed and how Ned went from chatting away to slipping away within only a couple of years.
In some ways he was grateful that heart failure had claimed the man three years after the Alzheimer’s diagnosis, sparing his family from having to experience the man forgetting them altogether. Yes, there were days he briefly mixed up a family member or forgot that Molly, for example, was his granddaughter, but in the end, he’d at least known who Franny was.
Alex could still remember Ned’s words that day they’d stood in this field.
“If you love the land, it will love you back, did you know that, boy?”
“No, sir, I guess I didn’t until I came here.”
“Then it’s good you came here. We’re glad to have you. Hope you know that at least.”
At that point, he’d only been at the Tanners a year but had already felt like family. Robert, Annie, Jason, Franny, and especially Ned had all made sure of that.
He’d met Ned a few times before moving up to stay permanently and he wished he’d been able to know him longer before he became sick.
“Thank you for letting me work with you, sir,” he’d said to Ned.
Ned had clapped a large hand on his shoulder and squeezed, gray-blue eyes glistening, either from the wind or emotion. “Thank you for working so hard and being the extra support we’ve needed now that I’m getting all old and gray.” He’d flashed a captivating grin that had made Alex chuckle and reassure the man he wasn’t washed up yet.
Alex had never experienced acceptance like that before, other than his own grandfather, who he’d lost while he was in high school. His father had rejected him time and time again, telling him he’d better “get it together” if he wanted to be part of the business. Alex didn’t want to be part of the business, though. He’d gone to college to get a degree in computer programming on the off chance he did work with his dad, but he knew his dad wanted him at a desk, crunching figures and making deals, not in the IT department. Sitting at a desk wasn’t the future Alex wanted. When Jason had invited him to come work and live on the farm, he’d jumped at the opportunity.
Taking a deep breath of cold, winter air, he closed his eyes briefly, the image of Ned forefront his mind. “Miss you, Ned. Thanks for everything.”
He shook his head as he opened his eyes. “Man, these Tanners have made me all sappy. I need to get a grip.” He wiped a hand across the dampness on his cheek and pulled a hammer out of the toolbox to start repairing the fence.
He’d learned a few important lessons from the Tanner men over the years and one of them was if you wanted to stop thinking too much, you went to work.
***
Robert stood and grimaced as his knee cracked. He shouldn’t have been kneeling that way. His leg still wasn’t a hundred percent since the accident and it never may be again.
The pain would be worth it, though, just to see Annie’s smile.
The pieces were coming together nicely. Soon he would be able to paint it, but hopefully the bolts to affix the chain to the swing would come soon.
His own father’s words came to him as he leaned back against the tractor behind him and reached for the mug of coffee he’d brought.
“You’re sure, Robert? You’re only 18 and –”
“You and mom were even younger, Dad. What’s this really about?”
“It isn’t about anything. I just want to be sure this is what you really want.”
“Dad, being married to Annie and running the farm with you is what I really want. She wants to be in farming too. We’ve thought about it. A lot.”
Ned had patted his back briefly and nodded. “Okay, then, you have my permission to talk to her parents about marrying her. I’ll support you both however I can.”
And Ned had supported them, day in and day out. That support had come in finances, yes, but also in advice, in emotional support, in love that Robert could still feel to this day.
Ned’s physical body was gone, but his loving, hardworking spirit definitely lived on in his family.
Robert reached for the phone in his pocket as it rang, deciding he’d look at the caller ID this time to see if he wanted to answer it.
Jason.
He’d better answer it.
“Where are you at? Have you seen the weather yet?”
“No, what’s coming?”
“Maybe a foot. Starting tonight.”
Robert let out a breath. “Better get the chains on the big tractor. The plow is already on the truck but we’ll need to be able to clear a space for the milk truck to get in in the morning if they can even get here.”
“That’s not all. The heater in the barn is on the blink again.”
“That’s not good at all. I’ll be up in ten to take a look.”
“Up from where?”
No use trying to keep it all from Jason. He needed all the help he could get at this point. “The shed in the lower field. I’m working on a surprise for your mom. The key word here is surprise, okay? So zip your lips about it.”
Jason laughed. “So that’s where you’ve been slipping off to every afternoon. No problem. I can keep a secret.” He paused. “Well, better now than I used to be able to.”
Robert reached for his gloves and the key to the truck. “Call Walt about the heater too. He knows more about this new one than I do. I’ll see you soon.”
Outside in the truck he looked out over the field in front of him, a field he’d laid in after the accident, the tractor pinning him down. Running a farm wasn’t easy, not by a long shot, but he was glad to be alive to do it, even on the days when challenges rose up faster than the river after a heavy rain. “It’s good to be alive, Lord.” He smiled and started the truck. “Good to be alive.”
December 12, 2022
A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 4
Welcome to the fourth chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.
You can catch up on chapters HERE.
If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,
The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.
Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.
Chapter 4
“Don’t be shy, Alex. Have some more of those mashed potatoes. I made plenty.”
It wasn’t like Alex not to have an appetite when he visited Franny, but today her encouragement to eat more only made him feel sicker. The idea of piling more food on top of what he’d already eaten, pushing it past the knots there, made him want to excuse himself and run outside to breathe in a couple mouthfuls of fresh air.
He kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for her to somehow get him alone and launch questions at him about when he was going to propose to Molly and why he hadn’t already, and where he was in his relationship with God.
He reached for his glass of water and drank half of it to try to settle his stomach.
“You okay, young man?” The older woman looked at him with lowered eyebrows. “You’re very pale today.”
Alex laughed, hoping she couldn’t hear the apprehension in his voice. “I’m fine. Dinner is great. Thank you, Franny.”
He’d long abandoned calling her Mrs. Tanner. Every time he’d tried when he had first moved to the area to live with Jason, she’d reminded him, “Family calls me Franny and you’re family now, so drop the Mrs., mister.”
Sitting across from him now in her small kitchen, she quirked an eyebrow. “You coming down with something? You been getting enough sleep?”
She reached out and pressed her hand against his forehead. “You don’t feel warm.”
“Franny, I promise. I’m okay. Just tired from work, that’s all.”
She didn’t look like she believed him, but she sat back in her chair and continued eating. He was grateful when Molly took the attention off him.
“Grandma, I can’t remember the story behind that Big Ben ornament on the tree. Didn’t Grandpa bring it back for you from London?”
Franny nodded. “He did. He visited there on his way to Germany for training before the war and picked it up in a little shop. He sent it home and said he couldn’t wait to be home to put it on the next year’s tree with me.” A faint smile pulled at her mouth as she looked over Molly’s shoulder into the living room. “He missed that Christmas but he was home for the next one to help Walt hang it.”
She pulled her gaze from the ornament and laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to have a good cry. It’s a wonderful memory and I’m working on remembering the happy moments. My memories help to keep him alive.”
Molly reached across the table and squeezed her grandmother’s hand. “There are a lot of good memories for us all.”
Franny stood and took Alex’s empty plate, heading toward the sink. “So how is the old truck fairing. Does Bert think he’ll be able to fix it?”
Alex’s chest constricted. He cleared his throat and started to answer.
“He won’t answer his phone and he never seems to be in when I stop,” Molly answered instead.
Alex wiped his mouth with a napkin to hide a smile. Bert was doing his best to help keep the project a surprise and he appreciated it. He wasn’t sure how much longer the secret would stay a secret, though. Molly was a determined woman.
Franny picked up Molly’s plate next. “Well, I’m sure if it was bad news, he’d let you know.” She placed the plate in the sink. “Hannah tells me they’re going to make Aunt Dianne’s sausage balls to sell in the café in the next couple of weeks.”
Molly walked to the sink. “Yes, she is. She thinks the customers will love them. Now, you go sit. I’m going to get these dishes done for you before we leave.” She looked over her shoulder at Alex, talking before Franny could protest about her doing the dishes. “Dianne was Franny’s aunt from North Carolina. She made sausage balls and fudge every Christmas and would bring them up when she and her husband came to visit. You remember the sausage balls from last year, don’t you?”
Alex stood and walked to the sink. “I definitely do. They were amazing.” He reached for the stopper for the side of the sink in front of him. “Let me help you with the dishes.”
Franny gasped. “Oh my, Molly Tanner. You need to keep this man. Look at him. Offering to do dishes with you.” Alex turned to look at her and she winked. “Bet he’s just doing it to be close to you.”
She sighed as Alex shook his head, grinning, and turned back to the sink. “You know, I did want to talk to you two about something.”
His chest tightened again. Oh boy. Here it came.
“I’ve been thinking about moving into Shady Pines, what do you two think about that?”
They both turned from the sink. That was the same community Molly’s other grandparents were living in.
“What’s got you thinking about that?” Molly asked, a plate in one hand and a dishcloth in the other.
“You two have me thinking about that.”
Molly tipped her head to one side. “What do we have to do with it?”
“Because one day I want to give you two this house.” She moved her gaze to Alex. “If Alex ever gets around to proposing.”
And there it was.
He glanced at Molly as warmth crept into his cheeks. Her cheeks were flushed as well. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, took a breath, and tried again.
“That’s really nice Grandma, but there’s no rush. I mean, I don’t think this is something you have to do right away. I mean . . .”
He really should save Molly from this awkward moment but he had no idea what to say. He turned back to the sink like a coward and poured dish soap into Molly’s side of the sink.
Franny laughed softly “I’m hoping it’s something that I’ll need to think about sooner rather than later, but I’m sure I have some time.”
The elderly woman’s answer made him want to laugh and cry at the same time. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been thinking about how much he wanted to marry Molly. He thought about it often, daily lately. He simply hadn’t planned on any kind of proposal right now. For one thing, Christmas proposals were so cliché. For another thing, he didn’t have a ring yet. And third, Molly had been a Christian her whole life and he’d only just started to figure out a relationship with God. He wasn’t even close to being worthy of her or her family.
Molly laughed nervously. “Now, Grandma, you already got Jason married off. How about you work on another one of your grandchildren next?”
Franny snorted. “My other grandchildren are 13 and 16, except for Bradly and he doesn’t have any prospects right now. You, however, do and he’s a good prospect so I think you’re closer than the rest of them.” She sighed again. “But I shouldn’t be pressuring you. You two will get married when you’re good and ready. When you do, though, I want you to know that this house is yours. If you want it.”
He glanced over his shoulder briefly to see Molly kissing Franny’s cheek. “Thank you, Grandma. We appreciate it.”
The drive back to the farm an hour later was quiet to begin with until he finally cleared his throat. “Your grandma sure is blunt, isn’t she?”
Molly laughed and propped her feet on the dashboard, hugging her arms around her knees. “She definitely is, but she means well.” She raised her shoulders briefly and dropped them again. “Anyhow, the town tree lighting is Saturday. I don’t usually go but I thought it might be nice this year. You want to go with me?”
He was thankful she’d changed the subject. “Of course, I would. That sounds like fun. As long as you don’t make me sing carols.”
She smiled as she looked at him. “I’ve heard you sing in the barn. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t request you do that in public.”
He burst into laughter, pressing his closed hand gently against her shoulder. “Ha. Ha. You’re no Carrie Underwood either, Princess.”
She tipped her head back and laughed, reminding him of how perfect she was for him, how perfect they were for each other and how he really could see himself spending the rest of his life with her.
***
The shed smelled like paint and pain to Robert.
Paint as he painted the boards for the swing and pain as he realized he only had three more weeks to assemble the boards he had smoothed and shaped. Then there were those bolts. They still hadn’t arrived. Terry was busy calling other suppliers for him. Hopefully, it would all come together.
It wasn’t the end of the world if the project wasn’t completed by Christmas. He knew that. He could simply tell Annie what he’d been working on and let her know it would be finished when the bolts came in. He really wanted to have the swing done and hung for Christmas, though. He wanted to sit on it with Annie Christmas night, his arm around her shoulder, her side pressed to his, looking out on a snow-covered farm.
Finishing it was still the plan and he was going to stick with the plan until he absolutely had to admit defeat. For now, though, it was time to lock up the shed and head back to the house. There was a family dinner planned and then decorating the tree and the house. He and Jason had already cut down a tree and brought it into the house. Now his children, Alex, and Jason’s wife, Ellie, would help decorate it as part of an annual tradition.
Jason’s truck was in the drive when he pulled up and Alex pulled in a few seconds later. He greeted Alex, learned that Molly was on her way with Liz, and the two men walked into the house to chase away the chilly December air, grateful that temperatures had warmed a little at least.
Inside he pulled his coat off, gave Ellie a hug and then headed from the entryway to the kitchen to give his wife a kiss and hug as she finished up dinner.
Half an hour later, they were all sitting around the table, and he found himself looking at the faces of those he loved with emotion catching in his throat. Liz’s little girl Bella giggled and clapped her hands at the end of the prayer, and he couldn’t help agreeing with her joy. Annie was one of the best cooks around. He couldn’t wait to dig into the mashed potatoes to his right and the fried pork chops on a plate in front of him.
Jason reached for the pork chops and Alex reached for the mashed potatoes, which reminded him he had to move fast with these two around. They might clear the whole table of food before he was able to help himself to one morsel.
Thankfully that didn’t happen and before long it was time to decorate the tree, which could start only after slices of Annie’s apple pie were cut and cups of cocoa and coffee were poured.
Molly held out a hand toward her brother. “Jason, hand me that garland over there.”
Jason held up a hand, palm out. “We need to get the lights on first. Slow your roll.”
“Did you untangle them even?”
“I’m doing that now, as you can see.”
“Let me help –” Molly took a step forward.
“No, you’ll just confuse me. I’ll get them untangled by myself.” He jerked his head toward the kitchen. “Go get the stool so we can start from the top and work our way down when I get them straightened out.”
Molly huffed out a sigh and headed toward the kitchen for the stool while Robert sat in his chair and smiled. Just like old times. Arguing and bickering. Eventually, though, there’d be laughter and peaceful quiet as they all sat to take in their handiwork and let the spirit of Christmas wash over them.
Ten minutes later Robert had just taken a bite of his pie just as Molly started screaming. Screaming wasn’t usually part of the decorating. He jumped to his feet in time to see a furry creature leap toward Molly, scurrying across her shoulder, and down her back to the floor.
The blur of brown took off across the carpet then ran up the back of the couch, clearing it of Annie, Liz, and Ellie who all uttered horrified cries and squeals of their own. Liz snatched Bella off the floor and Robert watched the squirrel jump to the floor, spin in circles a few times and then dart out of the living room into the kitchen.
Jason burst into laughter as Robert followed the terrified creature. “I guess we should have checked the tree for occupants before we brought it in.”
Robert found a broom and opened the back door, searching for the squirrel. In the living room, the women were giggling over their reactions.
“I can’t believe I screamed like that!”
“Did you see that thing fly off me?!”
“Isabella looks confused.”
“Where did it even go?”
When he found the squirrel huddling under the table, he poked at it gently with the broom, which sent it scurrying not through the open door like he’d hoped, but back into the living room.
“Incoming!”
Molly squealed with laughter. “Here it comes again! Jason grab it!”
“I’m not just going to grab it! They carry diseases!”
“I’ll grab it.”
“Alex, don’t!”
Robert shook his head and walked back into the living room with the broom while Annie opened the front door. The squirrel must have sensed the portal to freedom because he darted back and forth a few times across the floor in front of it and then outside onto the front porch.
Robert closed the door, and everyone dissolved into laughter again.
Annie wiped a hand against her cheek, clearing tears of laughter. “That certainly was a first. Is everyone okay?”
Everyone agreed that they were, and the decorating continued, with Molly, Jason, and Alex occasionally checking to make sure there were no more creatures still living in the tree.
Outside the window snow drifted down in large, fluffy flakes, hitting the ground and immediately melting. A white Christmas might not happen this year, but looking around the room at his family, Robert didn’t mind. There didn’t need to be snow on the ground outside for him to feel the warmth and love of his family inside.
Once again, he felt his throat thicken with emotion, grateful that he was still here to experience another Christmas season with his family.
After everyone had gone home, Robert slid his arm around Annie as they sat together on the couch in the colorful glow of the tree. Wasn’t it only yesterday that Molly and Jason were here with them, stretched out under the tree, looking up at it and talking about their Christmas wishes? Wasn’t it only yesterday that Robert’s dad was coming over to share with him his Christmas gift ideas for the kids with delight in his eyes?
So much had changed over the years. His dad was gone. The kids were moved out on their own.
He pulled Annie closer and tucked her head under his chin. At least he still had Annie with him, and the kids would be here on Christmas, along with their significant others, and his mom, brother, sister and their spouses, as well as his nieces and nephews. The house would feel full again. As full as his heart was now as he held on to the good memories and looked forward to making more this Christmas and beyond.
Additional Educationally Speaking Thoughts
If you’re new here, I’m a homeschooling mom to an 8-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son. I shared a little bit about our homeschool journey in a brief post last week.
On Sunday I was going to the kitchen for some hot cocoa when I looked at a book on the table that Little Miss had picked up at the library sale on Friday. It was a level two chapter book.
“Ooh,” I thought to my homeschool mom-self. “I can use that for reading aloud this week during reading/English lessons.”
Immediately something Little Miss said to me the week before came to mind right after that thought. It was something she said when I asked her to read two poems out loud for me.
“Mom, you already know I know how to read. Why are you making me read this out loud?”
Ahem.
Well, she had a point.
Why was I making her read it out loud?
Practice, I suppose.
Because reading out loud helps to make sure you are saying words right, I guess.
Or is it really because the curriculum said to do it and I’m – as I told a friend this week – a rule follower.
Rules are good.
Rules are often necessary.
Rules aren’t always made to be broken.
Buuuut….
I am homeschooling for a reason and part of that reason is to allow my children to learn at their own pace – whether that is fast or slow.
If Little Miss or The Boy already have a concept down, then it really isn’t necessary or conducive to their learning to keep making them repeat that skill over and over. The exception to this is in math, of course. I think the repetition of math lessons is important to keeping facts straight and fresh in the mind and to build up to other concepts.
Now, I don’t mean that I shouldn’t keep repeating or showing her grammar rules and similar items, but, yeah, if she already knows how to read, I need to stop making her read out loud to prove that she can do what she can already do and has been doing for two years now.
And, yeah, she had a point.
What am I doing? She gets the concepts. She knows it. Review the spelling rules with her and .. yes… move on. We’re good.
December 11, 2022
A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 3
Welcome to the third chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.
If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,
The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.
Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.
Chapter 3
Alex’s muscles screamed for a break as he carried another heavy box of meat to Benny Johnson’s freezer truck. They’d been working to save the store’s frozen inventory for two hours now and he had caved and put on a pair of gloves in the first thirty minutes, much to Molly’s amusement.
Once the meat and dairy were inside the truck, they’d work on fixing the blown fuse for the freezers, or call the company who installed them, whichever got the job done first.
He’d been in the middle of sanding the original, chipping paint off Molly’s truck when Robert had called. Before the call about the freezers, he’d been grateful for the break from farm work to work on the surprise and he was glad he had Robert as a co-conspirator or it might not have worked. Of course, Robert had him as a co-conspirator too. He had a feeling there would be more than once in the next few weeks that they would have to chase either Annie or Molly off the scent of what they were up to.
His phone rang as he carried another box to the freezer truck. He ignored it at first, but then thought it might be Molly needing to be picked up from the farm to come help.
He should have looked at the caller ID first.
“Well, it’s about time you picked up your phone. I thought maybe the one cell tower the county had fallen down or something.”
He grimaced, his jaw tightening. “Good afternoon to you too, Mom.”
“I had to call you, I suppose, since you never call me.”
For obvious reasons, Mom, is what he wanted to say, but literally bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying it.
His mom had been generous in giving the Tanners a check to help save their farm a couple of years ago and he appreciated it but now she seemed to think it was a blank check to have the relationship with him they’d never had while he was growing up.
“You know I’m sure your father would like you to come home for Christmas.”
Ah his father. The man who never spoke to him, other than to help him how much he’d failed in life.
“Is that what he said?”
“Well, no, but –“
“Mom. You’re divorced from the man. Have you even talked to him?”
“Briefly, yes. Three months ago. He wanted to make sure you and your brother knew about his diagnosis.”
“And that’s all?”
“Yes, but I feel certain he’d want to see you.”
“Isn’t his cancer treatable? I mean it’s been two years since we first learned about it and Sam hasn’t said much about it when we talk.”
His mother sniffed with indignation on the other end of the line. “Yes, from what I understand it is. They caught it early so that’s good. And Sam’s talking to you?”
He chose to ignore the Sam question. “I’m glad to hear that about the cancer but no, I won’t be back for Christmas. I have plans with Molly.”
Another sniff, this one with a little less indignation than the first. “Oh. I understand. Molly’s a sweet girl. And of course, her mother has replaced me in your life so – “
“Mom –”
You can’t replace something that was never there in the first place, is what he wanted to say, but, again, didn’t.
“I know. I know. Nothing can replace the love of a mother. Well, maybe you can bring Molly for a visit in February. Richard and I will be in Spain in January. Actually, if you aren’t coming for Christmas, I guess we will take that trip to the Caribbean after all. Your brother is staying with his girlfriend’s family this year in Cancun. I guess it will be another Christmas without seeing the children I gave birth to.”
He rubbed a gloved hand along the back of his neck, massaging the aching muscles there. “I’ll give you a call on Christmas, Mom.” Guilt pricked at his conscience briefly. “And maybe I can get down to see you after you get back from Spain.”
The sigh on the other end of the line denoted a change in tone. “I hope you can. Richard has had the whole west wing of the house remodeled and we also enlarged the pool. We have plenty of spare rooms so be sure to bring Molly along. That reminds me – is she ever going to be my daughter-in-law or are you forever going to be dating?”
“Bye, Mom.”
“I mean I was just wondering – “
“Have a nice day. Bye-bye.”
He slid his finger over the call end button and slid the phone into his back pocket.
Carrying heavy boxes of meat in the freezing cold seemed a lot less like a hardship after that conversation.
“Hey, Alex.”
Molly’s hair — pressed down with a pink knitted hat — framed her face as she carried a box of dairy products toward him. Her brother must have brought her from the farm. “Have you heard anything about my truck?”
Then again – this conversation might not be too much fun either.
He shrugged a shoulder and took the box from her. “All I know is that it’s being worked on. I’m sure it’s fine. It’s only been a week and a half, Mol. What is it you’re always saying? Patience is a virtue?”
Molly sighed. “I know, but I miss it.”
He grinned. “What, you don’t like cozying up to me in my truck?”
Molly smiled and hooked her arm in his. “Of course I like that, but I also like the freedom of having my own vehicle.”
He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sure it will be done soon and when it is, it will be as good as new.”
Or close to it anyhow.
“Before I forget, Grandma invited us to lunch next week. She says she hasn’t seen us enough lately and to come over for some homemade lasagna.”
Alex laughed softly. “What’s she talking about? We see her every Sunday for lunch.”
“Yeah, but that’s the whole family. She says she wants a day with just the two of us.”
Alex grinned. “Works for me. It’s not like being fed some of her amazing lasagna is a bad thing.”
“Oh, and are you going to help us decorate at mom and dad’s next week?
“Of course. I did last year, didn’t I?”
Molly smirked. “No. You didn’t actually. You watched some action movie with Jason while you were supposed to be decorating.”
“I decorated the outside with your dad and Jason. I figured the inside stuff was up to you girls.”
“Excuse me?” She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to say that decorating is a woman’s job?”
He shook his head briefly. “No. Just that women are better at decorating inside.”
She laughed softly. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Jason helped one year and just draped the garland over a couple of windows and said that was good enough.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m going for some more boxes. Get back to work, handsome.”
As he carried the box to the truck a few minutes later, his mind shifted to Franny’s invitation. He wondered if the woman had ulterior motives. Robert’s mother had dropped hints more than once about his future with Molly, at least twice during family dinners where she’d kept her gaze on him for several uncomfortable moments before he, or someone else, changed the subject to break the tension.
She was a sweet woman, but she was also direct, and he knew he needed to have an answer for her if she was going to try to corner him about his future with Molly. An answer that wouldn’t lock him into anything but would halt her personal interrogation. An answer he’d have to start thinking about now if he wanted to escape unscathed.
***
Robert stood from the kitchen chair and straightened. Stretching his arms above his head, he winced at the pull along his ribcage.
“You should have let the boys do all that heavy lifting.”
The admonishing nature of his wife’s words would have irritated him if there wasn’t a large amount of compassion behind the scolding.
“I’m not an invalid, Annie. I can do some lifting.”
She stepped forward and touched his shoulder. “I know you’re not an invalid, but you are getting older.”
He stiffened at the words. “I’m not ancient. Lifting a few heavy boxes won’t hurt me at all.”
Annie rubbed her hands along his shoulders, then slid them down his arms, laying her head against his back. “I know. I’m sorry. I just worry about you.”
He looked over his shoulder at the top of her head. “I know you do, and I appreciate it.”
The day the tractor tipped over onto him and pinned him underneath, he wasn’t sure he’d have any more moments together with Annie like this. Laying there as rain poured down on him and Alex tried to free him, he’d asked Alex to help take care of her and Molly when he was gone. He’d really thought he’d hugged her the last time before he’d left to mow that field.
Now her breath was warm through his shirt as she sighed. He closed his eyes as she hugged her arms around him. They stood there for several minutes before he turned and pulled her against his chest.
She rested her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m thinking there will be at least fourteen for Christmas dinner this year. Do you think we should kill the turkey or eat ham?”
“I’m good with either.”
“I can’t wait to have them all together. Do you think we should invite Liz and her family?”
“No, hon’. I think Liz and her family will have their own Christmas together. Probably with Ginny and Stan now that Clint and Tiffany are back in town. Like they did at Thanksgiving.” He kissed the top of her head. “We don’t have to feed all of Spencer Valley you know.”
Annie laughed softly. “Oh, I know, but –”
He smiled. “You just want to take care of everyone. That’s one of the many things I love about you.”
It’s how Annie had always been. First, she’d taken care of him, then she’d taken care of him and the children.
She’d done her best to take care of her parents until they had decided it was time to move into a nursing community in town. Now she still took care of them, but in a different way, comforted that they lived close to friends who would notify her if anything went wrong.
She and Molly had taken care of his father when he’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and slowly slipped away, passing away a few years ago. They still took care of his mother Franny, even though she was as independent as ever at the age of 73, living on her own at the original farmhouse up the road. And now she wanted to take care of Molly’s best friend, but Liz had her own family, including her sister Tiffany who had recently moved back to the area.
“Well, what do you think. Will Alex propose to Molly this Christmas?”
The question jolted him from his thoughts. “What?” He wrinkled his nose. He hadn’t thought of that possibility. He thought the kid was just fixing up Molly’s truck for her, not fixing to put a ring on her finger. “Maybe? I don’t know.”
She pulled back and looked up at him. “How would you feel if he did? Do you think they’re ready?”
His muscles tightened. He didn’t like to think of his little girl getting married. Even to Alex, who he loved as a member of the family already. “Is anyone ever ready, really?” He smiled down at her. “We were only 19 when we got married. Were we ready?”
She locked her hands behind his back. “There are days I still wonder if we are ready, my dear.”
He cupped a hand against her cheek. “I’m ready for anything as long as you’re with me.”
He kissed her as she smiled, lifting his other hand so he cradled her face. When the kiss deepened, his swirling thoughts about the store, the farm and the Christmas surprise faded. Even after 30 years she had a way of clouding his senses, pulling him under her spell until nothing else mattered other than the warmth of her body soft against his while she kissed away his worries.
Sunday Bookends: Christmas books, Christmas movies and Christmas events
It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays I ramble about what’s been going on, what I and the rest of the family have been reading and watching, what I’ve been writing, and some weeks I share what I am listening to.
What’s Been Occurring
I’m all in for Christmas this year.
Am I alone in this?
Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs and I started watching Christmas movies in the beginning of November and for many that is way too early. In fact, it is usually way too early for me too, but this year I was craving light, cozy, and happy and had no problem starting the Christmas season celebration early.
When I was a kid, I absolutely loved Christmas and it gave me such a cozy feeling, but over the years that feeling faded. Christmas wasn’t always happy. Sometimes it was stressful and brought back heartbreaking memories of those we’ve lost.
This year, though, for some reason, all of that has been pushed aside and replaced with warm joy.
Last year I was definitely grateful to be spending Christmas with my family after being in the hospital on Thanksgiving, but I was still too tired to be as excited as I wanted to be.
This year I am grateful and excited and when I think about decorating for Christmas or watching Christmas movies, or working on my little Christmas story for the blog. I feel like this young lady I watch on YouTube. Darling Desi sometimes is too giddy and happy for me, and I feel like she’s fake, but then I realize that she isn’t fake, she’s simply in the mood for happy on her YouTube videos and she hopes to pass that feeling on to her viewers.
She’s creating a space for happiness, all things fluffy, and nice and she welcomes people to that space, knowing that their lives and hers are not perfect but do need a bit of respite from time to time. Her channel is that respite and it’s very nice, even if I occasionally roll my eyes at some of the things that make her giddy. She really just seems so young to me sometimes, but I’m sure she’d feel the same about me but the opposite direction. *wink* Really, though, I often find the things that make her giggle with delight do the same for me.
I’ve never thought of myself as a “girly-girl” but when I feel giggly over a pretty L.M. Montgomery book cover with her or smile as she sips some fancy tea or shake my head with amusement when she dyes her hair orange-red again, I realize I’m a little more girly than I realized. I even like to watch her decorate her bedroom and fancy bed with fluffy lace and frills.
The weather this week wasn’t super cold. Not until we got to Saturday when we actually wanted to leave the house, that is.
Yesterday our little town held a Christmas festival of sorts with vendors, cookie sales, book sales (glee!), a scavenger hunt, hot chocolate, and ice carving. In the evening they held a tree lighting and caroling and then a light parade or Christmas parade.
The scavenger hunt involved going to each business and finding the photo of an elf and then writing down what the elf was doing in the photo. The entire time Little Miss and her friend were running to stores, I just wanted to go to the book sale and see if they put out any extra books from the day before when I checked. The selection wasn’t the worst, but I’m short and the way they set the books up made it hard for me to see them well. Plus the books are for sale for a donation and I feel like I have to give a big donation for what I take home with me because I often take home a large pile. My pile wasn’t as large Friday but on Saturday I grabbed a lot more, especially children’s books and a history book on Vietnam for The Boy for later in the year.
Today I might visit my parents but I’m not sure yet because we might actually get a snow/rain mix. If that happens, we usually stay home because my mom doesn’t like us to be on the road, even if we are only seven minutes from their house. It is a very hilly, windy, twisty seven minutes.
What I/We’ve been Reading
The past week I have been making my way through Shepherd’s Abiding by Jan Karon, as a Christmas tradition I started last year. I’m really enjoying it. It’s just such a pleasant and relaxing read, but it’s also very moving.
A few months ago, Little Miss ran to me in the library and handed me a cute little 5”x6” book and said she thought I’d like it.
It was cute and had a cornucopia on the front and I figured those were two reasons she grabbed it. I didn’t know what to say since I’d never heard of the author, but I read it and ended up really enjoying it. It was called A Quilter’s Holiday by Jennifer Chiaverini and it’s a part of a series so I’m sure I’ll be going back to the library to pick up others (if I can get over my fear of damaging library books).
On Friday, Little Miss came running to me again with a book the same size and thrust it at me.
“I think you’ll like this one.”
It is called Christmas Cookie Murder and is by Leslie Meier.
I was a bit disturbed by the cookie skull and crossbones and Little Miss thought it would be right up my alley, but she knows her dad and I watch a little of mysteries so I think that’s why she chose it. The thing is, I don’t know where she finds them or chooses them from the shelves. She couldn’t even see the front photo but somehow, she picks great books because I am breezing through this book, desperate to find out who committed the murder and why.
Like the other book she picked, it’s fairly light. I’d call it a cozy mystery and I think I’ll be reading more by Leslie.
I had a goal to finish a couple more Christmas-themed books, including Dawn Klinge’s America’s Favorite Christmastown and The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham by the end of December, but I don’t think I’ll make the goal since I also have to read the chapters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that I assign the boy. Sigh. I feel I’m in high school again.
The Husband is reading – gasp! He says he is in between books. I have no book to
Little Miss and I are reading Paddington at night but I am so excited because I have been wanting to read her The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever, which was read to be in elementary school, but I didn’t want to spend extra money to order it and when I went to the book sale yesterday they had a copy which I got for a small donation. It was so exciting!
What We watched/are Watching
Early last week I watched Holiday Inn. I wrote about it earlier this week on the blog.
The Husband and I watched an episode of Brokenwood Mysteries that made me cry.
Last night we watched The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and, well, it was okay, but I am a bit over Marvel at this point. You ever hear the saying, ‘too much of a good thing?’ Yeah, that’s the case here.
Erin and I are watching It’s A Wonderful Life for our Christmas movie this week if you would like to join in.
I really hope to finished A Man Called Ove, which is a Swedish movie, that I started last week, later this week. I don’t think the previous sentence made sense, but, well, it’s getting
What I’m Writing
I am sharing twelve chapters of a Christmas short story, novelette, whatever it is called, on the blog. I started Friday, December 8 and it will finish on December 20th.
I’m still working on the end of the story while I wait for the final of edit of Shores of Mercy to come to me so I can put the finishing touches on that and get it ready to publish on January 31.
This week on the blog I shared:
What I’m Listening to
This week I’ve been listening to Steven Curtis Chapman’s new album and some Christmas music on the local Christian radio station. The station has also been sharing Christmas radio dramas including A Candle in the Window.
What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.
December 10, 2022
A Christmas in Spencer: Beyond the Season, Chapter 2
Welcome to the second chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.
If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,
The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.
Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.
Chapter 2
“You ready to learn how to paint a vehicle the right way, Mr. Stone?”
Alex winced and made a face. “Yes, as long as you stop calling me Mr. Stone. It makes me think of my dad and I’m nothing like him.”
Burt laughed and pounded his hand on Alex’s back. “Okay, then, Alex, let’s get started. The first thing we have to do is sand the paint off this old truck and get it ready for a new coat.”
“So, we can make it look new but what about the engine? Are we going to be able to save it?”
Burt’s smile faded briefly. “Save it, no. Replace it, I hope so. The biggest issue is finding a new engine for a truck this old. It’s definitely testing my scavenger-hunting skills right now.”
Alex rubbed his chin, nervous energy buzzing through him. “Let’s at least get the paint job started. Maybe we can set it up somewhere as a display if nothing else.”
Burt retrieved a large box of supplies from the other side of his garage and carried it to the truck, setting it down at Alex’s feet. “Tell me something. Is there anything else you plan to do along with presenting her with a newly refurbished truck?”
Alex laughed. “What, spending half my savings on fixing up her grandpa’s truck isn’t a big enough Christmas gift?”
Burt’s eyes glistened mischievously. “I’m not saying that, but, I mean – will you, possibly, be planning to present her with — ” He raised his hand and tapped his wedding band on his ring finger. “A lovely piece of jewelry?”
Warmth rushed from Alex’s chest up into his face. He choked on the coffee he’d been sipping and continued to cough for several seconds.
Burt’s laughter echoed off the high ceilings of the garage. “I’m guessing the answer to that question is a big no.”
Alex worked to recover, wiping a hand across his mouth. “I hadn’t really – I mean, that wasn’t part of the plan right now, no.”
Burt reached into the box for the sander. “My niece is a sweet young lady, Alex. Don’t let her slip away.”
Alex shook his head. “No, sir. I don’t intend to.”
Burt straightened and winked. “Then you might want to think about securing her long-term presence in your life with a ring. A fancy one. With a gold band and a diamond.”
Alex took a deep breath and let it out again. “No pressure or anything, though, right?”
Burt pushed a sander into his chest. “None at all. Now let’s get to work on your first surprise. You can mull the possibility of the other one over for a bit, but don’t wait too long. You’re going to need some time to pick out the ring.”
Alex swallowed hard. This harassment was most likely some sort of cosmic payback for how he’d harassed Jason about his need to propose to Ellie a couple of years ago.
There was no denying he loved Molly. More than he’d ever loved anyone before. Marriage, though? He’d seen what happened to his parents. Marriage didn’t always mean happily ever after, and it was a reality that weighed heavy on him and made him hesitant to do the one thing he wanted to do but was too afraid to.
***
Robert shivered, pulling the door to the shed closed behind him. In front of him sat a pile of boards he needed to cut to size, sand down, and put together in the next six weeks.
To the right of the boards sat a broken porch swing, tilted on its side and propped up against a piece of old farm equipment. A rusted chain, broken in two places, had been draped over the back of it.
A faint smile tilted his mouth upward as he looked at the broken remains of the swing.
In his mind he was sitting on that same porch swing on Annie’s parents’ front porch, the setting sun casting light pink across her skin, transforming an ordinary evening into an extraordinary one. He’d leaned forward, his 18-year-old heart pounding out a high-speed rhythm as he tilted his head to press his lips gently to hers.
The kiss was innocent and brief, but it had sent a rush of energy skittering through his entire body. He had been wanting to do that for over a year and the fact he’d gathered up his courage to do so made him proud.
Her parents had been away at an adult fellowship at the church that night, and she’d stayed home with her younger sister, who had been inside coloring and watching a cartoon. She’d leaned back from the kiss and smiled, touching a hand to her cheek and then her fingertips to her lips. Then she’d shocked him and leaned in for another kiss that he had welcomed. What was as welcome was the sound of footsteps inside the house, the front screen door bursting open, and the teasing voice of Annie’s sister Brenda.
“Are you two kissing? Eewww! That is so gross and I am totally telling mom and dad!”
Removing the swing from the front porch ten years ago had been emotionally hard for Robert, but the chains had rusted out and the boards on the seat were splintering. He’d planned to repair the swing sooner, but time had gotten away from him and now most of the boards were in even worse shape. The entire swing would need to be replaced at this point, but it would be worth it to see her face light up 33 years after they’d first sat there together.
That’s if he could finish the project in between milking cows, running the farm, and helping his sister with the family farm store.
Keeping it a secret from Annie would be hard since she could read him so easily, always able to tell when he was hiding something, even something good.
Already this morning she’d asked him what he had planned for the day, where he’d be and if he needed any help. She’d been by his side since the day they’d married, a constant support, a partner in life as much as in marriage. Her protective nature had kicked into high gear after his accident and she’d quickly joined forces with his daughter and mother in frequently checking up on him, asking if he was too tired or needed her to tag along and lend a hand.
Right now, though, what he needed most was for her to check on him less. Otherwise, she’d find out the surprise before he could reveal it on Christmas.
He started at the sound of a phone ringing. Getting used to carrying one of those smartphones around and actually answering it had definitely been a challenge in the last year but if he didn’t answer it, family members came looking for him.
The caller ID told him someone was calling from Harper’s Hardware.
“Robert?”
“Yeah. Hey, Terry, got those bolts I ordered?”
Terry Harper let out a breath on the other end of the phone. “Wish I could say I did. I called the supplier again and it looks like those bolts are out of stock just about everywhere. There’s some kind of supply chain issue out west.”
“California, I’ll bet.”
“Probably, yeah.”
“You said you don’t have any other bolts in stock similar, though, right?”
“Right.” Terry sounded as disappointed as Robert. “Is there any other way you can complete your project without them?”
Robert shook his head, even though the owner of Harper’s Hardware couldn’t see him. “Unfortunately, no. Anything else won’t be sturdy enough for what I need it for.”
“What’s your deadline?”
“I’d like to have it done by Christmas Eve. Sooner if possible so I can install it.”
Terry huffed into the phone. “Hmmm. Well, I’ve got one other supplier I can try. I’ll give them a call and see what we can do.”
“Thanks, Terry. I really appreciate this.”
“Of course. You know I’d do anything to help you make Annie smile. She’s a good woman. She deserves the best.”
Robert smiled, looking at the pile of wood he hoped to transform into her gift. “Yes, she absolutely does.”
A beep in his ear alerted him he had another call. He thanked Terry again and said good-bye before answering his brother Walt’s call.
Like usual, Walt didn’t bother with a greeting. “We got a problem.”
“What’s up?”
“A fuse has blown on the freezers at the store. A whole row is out.”
Robert’s eyes widened. “A whole row of freezers?”
“Yes, and if we don’t get that product somewhere cold, we’re going to lose it. Has Benny Jenson still got that freezer truck?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll give him a call. I’ll get a hold of Jason and Alex and send them up ahead of me.”
“I’ve got Brad going too. We’ll need all hands on deck.”
Robert pondered the pile of wood and huffed out a brief sigh as he hung up. He looked at the broken swing one more time before he closed the shed door and headed to his truck.
Welcome to the second chapter of a twelve-chapter story I...
Welcome to the second chapter of a twelve-chapter story I am sharing on the blog. This is being shared with minimal editing, just for fun, but will be fully edited once it is complete.
If you would like to read more about the characters in this story, you can find full-length novels on Amazon for purchase or on Kindle Unlimited HERE,
The first three chapters of the first book, The Farmer’s Daughter, can be found HERE.
Once all the chapters have been shared here, I’ll be providing a free Book Funnel link to blog readers and placing the story on Amazon for 99 cents.
Chapter 2
“You ready to learn how to paint a vehicle the right way, Mr. Stone?”
Alex winced and made a face. “Yes, as long as you stop calling me Mr. Stone. It makes me think of my dad and I’m nothing like him.”
Burt laughed and pounded his hand on Alex’s back. “Okay, then, Alex, let’s get started. The first thing we have to do is sand the paint off this old truck and get it ready for a new coat.”
“So, we can make it look new but what about the engine? Are we going to be able to save it?”
Burt’s smile faded briefly. “Save it, no. Replace it, I hope so. The biggest issue is finding a new engine for a truck this old. It’s definitely testing my scavenger-hunting skills right now.”
Alex rubbed his chin, nervous energy buzzing through him. “Let’s at least get the paint job started. Maybe we can set it up somewhere as a display if nothing else.”
Burt retrieved a large box of supplies from the other side of his garage and carried it to the truck, setting it down at Alex’s feet. “Tell me something. Is there anything else you plan to do along with presenting her with a newly refurbished truck?”
Alex laughed. “What, spending half my savings on fixing up her grandpa’s truck isn’t a big enough Christmas gift?”
Burt’s eyes glistened mischievously. “I’m not saying that, but, I mean – will you, possibly, be planning to present her with — ” He raised his hand and tapped his wedding band on his ring finger. “A lovely piece of jewelry?”
Warmth rushed from Alex’s chest up into his face. He choked on the coffee he’d been sipping and continued to cough for several seconds.
Burt’s laughter echoed off the high ceilings of the garage. “I’m guessing the answer to that question is a big no.”
Alex worked to recover, wiping a hand across his mouth. “I hadn’t really – I mean, that wasn’t part of the plan right now, no.”
Burt reached into the box for the sander. “My niece is a sweet young lady, Alex. Don’t let her slip away.”
Alex shook his head. “No, sir. I don’t intend to.”
Burt straightened and winked. “Then you might want to think about securing her long-term presence in your life with a ring. A fancy one. With a gold band and a diamond.”
Alex took a deep breath and let it out again. “No pressure or anything, though, right?”
Burt pushed a sander into his chest. “None at all. Now let’s get to work on your first surprise. You can mull the possibility of the other one over for a bit, but don’t wait too long. You’re going to need some time to pick out the ring.”
Alex swallowed hard. This harassment was most likely some sort of cosmic payback for how he’d harassed Jason about his need to propose to Ellie a couple of years ago.
There was no denying he loved Molly. More than he’d ever loved anyone before. Marriage, though? He’d seen what happened to his parents. Marriage didn’t always mean happily ever after, and it was a reality that weighed heavy on him.
***
Robert shivered, pulling the door to the shed closed behind him. In front of him sat a pile of boards he needed to cut to size, sand down, and put together in the next six weeks.
To the right of the boards sat a broken porch swing, tilted on its side and propped up against a piece of old farm equipment. A rusted chain, broken in two places, had been draped over the back of it.
A faint smile tilted his mouth upward as he looked at the broken remains of the swing.
In his mind he was sitting on that same porch swing on Annie’s parents’ front porch, the setting sun casting light pink across her skin, transforming an ordinary evening into an extraordinary one. He’d leaned forward, his 18-year-old heart pounding out a high-speed rhythm as he tilted his head to press his lips gently to hers.
The kiss was innocent and brief, but it had sent a rush of energy skittering through his entire body. He had been wanting to do that for over a year and the fact he’d gathered up his courage to do so made him proud.
Her parents had been away at an adult fellowship at the church that night, and she’d stayed home with her younger sister, who had been inside coloring and watching a cartoon. She’d leaned back from the kiss and smiled, touching a hand to her cheek and then her fingertips to her lips. Then she’d shocked him and leaned in for another kiss that he had welcomed. What was as welcome was the sound of footsteps inside the house, the front screen door bursting open, and the teasing voice of Annie’s sister Brenda.
“Are you two kissing? Eewww! That is so gross and I am totally telling mom and dad!”
Removing the swing from the front porch ten years ago had been emotionally hard for Robert, but the chains had rusted out and the boards on the seat were splintering. He’d planned to repair the swing sooner, but time had gotten away from him and now most of the boards were in even worse shape. The entire swing would need to be replaced at this point, but it would be worth it to see her face light up 33 years after they’d first sat there together.
That’s if he could finish the project in between milking cows, running the farm, and helping his sister with the family farm store.
Keeping it a secret from Annie would be hard since she could read him so easily, always able to tell when he was hiding something, even something good.
Already this morning she’d asked him what he had planned for the day, where he’d be and if he needed any help. She’d been by his side since the day they’d married, a constant support, a partner in life as much as in marriage. Her protective nature had kicked into high gear after his accident and she’d quickly joined forces with his daughter and mother in frequently checking up on him, asking if he was too tired or needed her to tag along and lend a hand.
Right now, though, what he needed most was for her to check on him less. Otherwise, she’d find out the surprise before he could reveal it on Christmas.
He started at the sound of a phone ringing. Getting used to carrying one of those smartphones around and actually answering it had definitely been a challenge in the last year but if he didn’t answer it, family members came looking for him.
The caller ID told him someone was calling from Harper’s Hardware.
“Robert?”
“Yeah. Hey, Terry, got those bolts I ordered?”
Terry Harper let out a breath on the other end of the phone. “Wish I could say I did. I called the supplier again and it looks like those bolts are out of stock just about everywhere. There’s some kind of supply chain issue out west.”
“California, I’ll bet.”
“Probably, yeah.”
“You said you don’t have any other bolts in stock similar, though, right?”
“Right.” Terry sounded as disappointed as Robert. “Is there any other way you can complete your project without them?”
Robert shook his head, even though the owner of Harper’s Hardware couldn’t see him. “Unfortunately, no. Anything else won’t be sturdy enough for what I need it for.”
“What’s your deadline?”
“I’d like to have it done by Christmas Eve. Sooner if possible so I can install it.”
Terry huffed into the phone. “Hmmm. Well, I’ve got one other supplier I can try. I’ll give them a call and see what we can do.”
“Thanks, Terry. I really appreciate this.”
“Of course. You know I’d do anything to help you make Annie smile. She’s a good woman. She deserves the best.”
Robert smiled, looking at the pile of wood he hoped to transform into her gift. “Yes, she absolutely does.”
A beep in his ear alerted him he had another call. He thanked Terry again and said good-bye before answering his brother Walt’s call.
Like usual, Walt didn’t bother with a greeting. “We got a problem.”
“What’s up?”
“A fuse has blown on the freezers at the store. A whole row is out.”
Robert’s eyes widened. “A whole row of freezers?”
“Yes, and if we don’t get that product somewhere cold, we’re going to lose it. Has Benny Jenson still got that freezer truck?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll give him a call. I’ll get a hold of Jason and Alex and send them up ahead of me.”
“I’ve got Brad going too. We’ll need all hands on deck.”
Robert pondered the pile of wood and huffed out a brief sigh as he hung up. He looked at the broken swing one more time before he closed the shed door and headed to his truck.
December 9, 2022
Christmas in Spencer Valley: Beyond the Season Chapter 1
Welcome to a Christmas short story with the characters from Spencer Valley. I thought it might be fun to revisit Robert and Annie, Molly, Alex, Jason, Ellie and others around Christmas time and share the story here on the blog for 12 days leading up to Christmas. I’ll share a new chapter each day for 12 days. I hope it will be a fun walk through the winter in Spencer for all of us.
Without further ado . . .
Chapter 1
Cold bit at Robert Tanner’s skin, stung his lungs and made him wish he could stay inside under a blanket with a warm cup of coffee. Instead, pulled his winter cap down further on his head and stepped out into the cold.
Between the house and the barn, snow swirled wildly, darkening the sky, and making it feel like dusk instead of late afternoon.
Inside the barn it was warm, and he was grateful for it, even if his arrival did mean he’d have to start cleaning out the cow’s sleeping area and preparing the second milking of the day.
Truthfully, his mind was far away from the tasks of the day, consumed with a gift he hoped to have completed for his wife of 32 years by Christmas.
He couldn’t even believe it had been 32 years.
It felt like it had only been a day ago when they’d held hands in front of the minister and all of their friends and family in a small country church. Her soft brown hair had been shaped into curls and hung down, framing her delicate features. Looking at her he had felt as if his heart would explode out of his chest.
He’d felt the same way a year and a half ago when he woke up from a coma and saw her looking down at him, tears in her eyes as she smiled.
The barn door opened as he reached for a pitchfork, a cold wind blowing in with his son Jason.
Jason tossed a wrench into the toolbox on the far wall and started pulling his gloves off. “I think I fixed the tractor. Again. For now. Whichever.”
“Just in time since it looks like the weather app might be right this time. Carburetor again?”
“No. Oil line was plugged. How much do you think we’ll get?”
“Who knows. Probably only a couple of inches. Too early for a big one”
Jason leaned back against a stall and reached for the tumbler of coffee he’d brought with him to the barn this morning. “I got that lumber and unloaded it into the shed in the lower field like you asked.”
Robert tipped his head in a quick nod as he began cleaning out a stall. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Should I even ask what it’s for?”
Robert smiled and winked at his son. “Not unless you want me to add more work to your list.”
Jason sipped the coffee and smiled. “Nah, I’ve got enough to do. I’m going to start prepping the cows.”
Robert nodded and continued to work. He wasn’t ready to tell anyone about his plans yet. If he did, they’d probably offer to do it for him, worried he’d overdo, which was something they needed to stop worrying about.
While he still limped from the broken leg that hadn’t healed correctly, he’d almost fully recovered from the stroke he’d suffered during surgery on his cracked pelvis. He understood and appreciated their concern. His family had been so used to protecting him for the last sixteen months, they didn’t know how not to.
He understood that, but this was a project he wanted to do on his own – something he hoped would show Annie how important she was to him.
***
Snow fell fast, peppering the ground around Alex Stone, landing on his clothes and even his eyelashes.
Out in front of him the snow had begun piling up in an empty field across the road from the house, creating a smooth surface the sun would reflect off in the morning when the snow finally stopped.
He pulled the collar of his coat up around his neck and stepped off the front porch, toward his truck, almost completely obscured by the snow now. Pulling his signature cowboy hat down low across his forehead he kept his mind on who was waiting for him inside the cab instead of on the cold slivers of ice scratching against his cheek and bare hands.
“Ever hear of gloves?”
Her teasing voice brought a smile to his face as he climbed inside and closed the door against the wind.
“Sure have. They’re the things delicate women wear on their hands in cold weather, right?”
He grinned and leaned over for a kiss, glad they were alone without the prying eyes of Molly’s older brother, and his best friend, Jason.
Sliding across the truck seat he pulled her against him to deepen the kiss, jumping back a second later as a pounding on the driver’s side window startled him. He cleared the steam with the side of his hand, matching the glaring eyes of Jason with a glare of his own.
Jason pointed two fingers at him through the window. “Take your hands off my sister, Stone!”
Alex stuck his tongue out while Jason grinned and then walked away.
Molly and Alex had been dating a year and a half now and though Jason seemed to have adapted to the fact for the most part, he still occasionally threatened Alex with bodily harm for showing affection toward Molly.
Alex knew Jason worried that he would somehow corrupt sweet Molly, but Jason should know by now that it was Molly who was influencing Alex.
Molly looked out through the windshield as he turned on the wipers. “I hope this snow lets up before I need to head back to town. Liz and I are watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving tonight.”
“This is a four-wheel-drive.” Alex winked at her as he shifted the truck into gear. “I’ll get you there one way or another.”
For now, though, he only had to get her to her parents, half a mile down the road from Jason’s house where they’d just finished lunch with Jason and Jason’s wife Ellie.
They would finish the chores at the barn and then he’d drive her the six miles to town where she now lived with her best friend Liz and Liz’s daughter, Bella.
He’d drive her to make sure she got there safe, but also because her truck, which used to belong to her late grandfather, was in the shop. Her uncle Bert’s mechanic shop, to be exact. The truck, a 1976 Chevy, was one of the last physical connections to the man who had meant so much to her and passed away four years earlier.
While it was true that the engine on the truck had finally died, it was also true that Alex had purposely delayed the work on the truck for a personal reason that he hoped would pay in dividends at Christmas.
Next to him Molly scrolled through her phone. “I think I’ve found what I want to get Ellie for Christmas. This scarf is totally her. Don’t you think?”
He glanced at the screen of the phone briefly. “Uh. Yeah. Sure.”
He really had no idea if the scarf was Ellie or not, but it was better to talk about scarves than –
“So, are you going to go visit your mom at some point around Christmas? Or maybe your –”
Here they went again. “No. I’ve already planned to be here.”
“Of course, you’ll be here for Christmas day, but what about after Christmas? Or the weekend before?”
“There will be too much work to do before and after Christmas. I don’t think I’ll have the time.”
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Molly chewing on her bottom lip. It was what she did when she wanted to say more but also didn’t want to push the issue.
She reached over and squeezed his upper arm gently. “Well, maybe you can at least send your mom and dad a card. Anyhow, I called Uncle Bert earlier but couldn’t get an answer.”
He admired the way she’d resisted trying to find another way to convince him to see his parents and how she quickly changed the subject.
“Ah, he’s probably busy. I wouldn’t worry.”
The skin between her brow knitted. “I’m just wondering what the verdict on the truck is.”
“I’m sure he’ll let you know as soon as he can.” He pulled his truck next to the barn and shifted it into park, clearing his throat. “Listen, Mol, I know how important that truck is to you, but you should probably prepare yourself. It’s old. It may be time – I mean – it’s possible it won’t be able to be saved.”
He hoped the truck could be saved. He planned to do the best he could to make sure it could, but if it couldn’t, he had a backup plan.
Her shoulders fell for a brief moment. “I know. I’m trying to prepare myself for that.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “I know how much the truck means to you. I’m sure Bert’s going to try his best to save it.”
She took a deep breath, eyes glistening. “I know and even if he can’t, I know it’s not all I have left of Grandpa. Not really. I have photos and my memories. No one can take that away from me.”
She gave him a shaky smile.
He squeezed her hand tighter then leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. “Have faith. She’s on the operating table and that’s the first step toward her healing.”
Molly laughed. “You know women don’t assign gender to their vehicles, right?”
He wrinkled his nose, eyes bright with laughter. “You don’t? Why not?”
“Because they’re inanimate objects, not people.” She shook her head and kissed him briefly. “Now, listen, I love sitting here with you, but your hands are cold. I can feel them through my gloves. If you want to hold hands with me outside during the winter you’re going to need to act more like a weak woman and wear some gloves.”
He grinned and touched the palm of his hand to her cheek. “Whatever makes you happy, my dear.”
She squealed and pushed his hand away before jumping out of the truck. “Alex!”
Inside the barn, Molly took over hooking up the milking machine from her Dad, while Alex headed toward the back of the barn to prepare the feed. Robert followed him.
“How’s your plan going?” Robert asked when they were alone in the feed room.
“Bert’s seeing what can be done now. How about yours?”
“Jason picked up the lumber today to replace the rotting boards.”
Alex rolled the wheelbarrow to the feeding station. “You think we can make it a few more weeks without them finding out?” Robert winked. “Of course, we can. I’m living proof that God still does miracles, young man.”
December 8, 2022
‘Tis the Season Cinema: Holiday Inn
Here we are, closing in on the end of our ‘Tis The Season Cinema and I can’t even believe it. How is it already almost Christmas?
If this is your first time here, Erin from Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs, and Katja_137 From Breath of Hallelujah and I have been watching Christmas movies and sharing our impressions of them.
This week Holiday Inn was on our list and, well, I sort of regret this pick. I hadn’t watched it in years and forgot about some aspects of it that make me even more uncomfortable this time around than they did in the past.
But, well, it’s been watched and now I have to share my impressions, but before I do, I do want to mention that while I did not include any movies about the birth of Jesus in the list of movies for this feature, I do have a couple of movies along those lines I watch each year and recommend as well. I’ll try to get a list of those together for next week but for now, I will mention that The Chosen has an amazing Christmas special on their app, which you can download onto your phone and send to your TV. You can also watch it on Peacock. It is called The Messengers: Christmas with The Chosen. It features an hour and a half of music and then a Christmas short that director/writer Dallas Jenkins made for his church and depicts the birth of Christ through the view of a disabled shepherd who saw the star that night. It is beautifully done.
The short presentation is also available on YouTube, which I discovered just before I hit “schedule” on this post:
Okay. On to Holiday Inn.
We begin with three performers – two men and a woman. The men are Fred Astaire (Ted) and Bing Crosby (Jim). The woman is Marjorie Reynolds (Lila) The woman is dating Bing but she’s fallen for Fred. Bing thinks she wants to retire with him to a farm in the country, but she breaks it to him that she no longer wants to be with him, or even retire, and instead plans to continue performing with Fred.
Ouch. Brutal start.
Well, that’s okay, because Bing wants to continue running his farm in the country and has decided to turn it into an inn.
In walks Linda (Virginia Dale) who wants to break into show business and who Jim hires to sing for him at his new inn. The inn will only be open on holidays throughout the year, hence the name Holiday Inn.
Of course, it is cold and snowy at the inn and it’s getting close to Christmas in the first part of the movie, and this sets the stage for the first movie performance of White Christmas, which you might remember me mentioning when I wrote about watching the movie White Christmas a couple of weeks ago.
This movie was first, the song was sung, and 12 years later they made White Christmas, which, incidentally, was filmed on the same set as Holiday Inn. That’s why both movies have a similar feel even though they are supposed to be different characters and stories.
While there are similarities between the movies (a duo of male performers and two women love interests, who also sing or perform in some way) there are also differences, and not only in the plot. Holiday Inn was originally released in black and white and White Christmas was always in color. We own a DVD collection that features a black-and-white or color version of the movie, but I chose to stick with the original. I don’t enjoy when they colorize black and white movies, which is why I will never watch a color version of It’s A Wonderful Life either. I tried once. It just felt all kinds of wrong.
The collection we have also features a copy of the soundtrack on CD. There are 12 tracks, all written by Irving Berlin, who, of course, wrote the songs for the movie – specifically White Christmas.
As the movie continues, Fred walks back into Bing’s life and once again tries to steal his dance partner and his love interest, which creates all kinds of drama once again.
There is one regrettable scene in this movie that I wish was not there. The scene involves blackface and while I understand the purpose of it in the plot of the movie (to hide a character from another character), blackface should never be used as a plot point or anything else. It’s offensive and rude. Still, I hate to see an entire movie tossed out over one scene. The song they sing does talk about how wonderful Abraham Lincoln was for freeing the slaves, but the way they do it – grooooan.
There are African American actors in the movie, and they participate in the blackface scene, also singing praises of Abraham Lincoln. So, what does that mean? I have no idea, other than there are no black actors playing main parts. They are servants and used for humor plot points for part of the movie and while they aren’t mocked or mistreated, it still makes me uncomfortable.
If I had to pick a favorite Christmas movie, it wouldn’t be this one, probably based partially on that scene. It was so cringe and it had been years since I saw it and forgot how bad it was. Incidentally, if you have ever watched this movie on ACM, they deleted the blackface scene and don’t have it in the showing they run each year. I also wouldn’t pick this one as a favorite because it’s not really focused on Christmas, other than Bing singing White Christmas.
If I had to pick a favorite Fred Astaire dance, though, it would be the firecracker one in this movie. It is insane and one of the coolest dances I’ve seen in a classic movie.
According to IMBD, “The firecracker dance sequence was added to the movie as a patriotic number, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, which took place during filming. The dance number required three days of rehearsal and took two days to film. Fred Astaire did 38 takes of the number before he was satisfied with it. The crew members had to wear goggles during filming, because the sand from the firecrackers flew into their faces. Also, animation was added to make the firecracker “blasts” more dramatic. Later, Astaire’s shoes for the dance were auctioned off for $116,000 worth of war bonds.”
It is such a horrible shame that the dance sequence was put in a movie with an offensive blackface scene.
I apologized to Erin for suggesting this movie, telling her I really had forgotten how bad the scene was, even though I knew it was there. If you do choose to watch this movie, please skip over the blackface scene and you’ll be better off.
Up next in our lineup of Christmas movies is It’s A Wonderful Life, which should be a lot less uncomfortable to watch.
To finish out the ‘Tis the Cinema’ feature we will be watching two children’s shows, Charlie Brown Christmas and Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. I am hoping those two will be a lot more heartwarming.
Feel free to join in with us in watching the next film and shows and blogging about them. We share our blog posts on Thursdays unless life gets in the way and we have to change the day.
To catch up on Erin’s impression of the movie check out her blog. You can also check out Katja’s on her blog.
December 7, 2022
Educationally Speaking: Relaxing, getting ready for Christmas break, and actually enjoying school this year
I haven’t shared a homeschooling update in a while so I thought I would do so today.
The children and I are anxiously awaiting our Christmas break, which will begin on December 22 and last until January 2.
The kids are honestly completely over school but they are being troopers and I think that’s because I am trying to make school a little more fun this year. We aren’t necessarily doing anything “fun” but I am more relaxed about it all than I have been in previous years. I’m letting go of a lot of the anxiety I’ve had about teaching and what they are learning. If we need to take some time off during the day by cutting a couple subjects because something has popped up – like my dad stopping by or a neighbor needing help, etc. – then I am fine with that more now than I used to be. If we need to do some lessons in the evening, after dinner, I am okay with that too, though I will say I still twitch just a bit if work isn’t done before supper time.
The Boy is fairly independent. I give him his assignments and he heads upstairs and does them without much help from me. This year I am giving him more to read on some days and then trying to keep Friday fairly clear so that can be his day to just relax and be a kid. I hope that Fridays will become a day where he can explore some sort of activity he is interested in, such as playing guitar, which we hope he will be able to explore after Christmas (shh, don’t tell him. Thankfully he never reads my blog.).
I would definitely say that Little Miss is my biggest challenge. She is a little bit better about settling down to do her work this year than she was last year, but we still battle many days. Once we start our lessons she buckles down and gets the work done, but until then . . . well, there is quite a bit of drama. She doesn’t throw a tantrum by any means. My daughter practices something my son has always practiced – silent disobedience.
For instance, when I tell her we are going to do our work in five minutes, she picks up the duster and decides the living room needs dusting. Other times she starts a new episode of her cartoon or decides the dog needs a bath, or begins a game of chase with the dog, or decides she needs a snack.
Once we get passed her stalling tactics, though, we are actually learning something during our lessons. This year I tossed aside the set history curriculum and have instead been doing unit studies. Right now we are doing a unit study on Native Americans. As part of that unit we are reading Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac.
It is a fiction book, but it is teaching us a lot about the culture of the tribes of the longhouses, such as those who lived in our area and were part of the Iroquois. I hope we will be able to participate in a field trip at some point as there are places around us that focus on artifacts and the history of the Native American people. There is a museum about 45 minutes north that has canoes and arrowheads and other artifacts so that’s probably where I will take her.
I am counting the book as history and English.
We are, however, also doing a separate English curriculum through The Good and The Beautiful and that focuses on spelling, grammar, writing rules, and specifically reading. Little Miss has known how to read since she was about six and a half so she finds this curriculum a bit tedious and boring, which usually means we end up skimming it and just doing the lesson part, unless it is a totally new concept that will help her with larger words. She absolutely hates when I dictate words to her and she has to write them, but her handwriting is improving and she’s pouting a little less about it these days, thankfully.
We’ve been doing the same with math recently because she’s caught on quickly to many of the concepts and the lessons reiterate the points each subsequent lesson. That means we can jump right to the assignment page for math as well. We can’t do this every lesson because the math is becoming more difficult, but I have been surprised with how quickly she catches on to the concepts.
We are also using The Good and The Beautiful for math.
For Science we are continuing a unit on space through Apologia and in January we will start a unit on Reptiles and amphibians through – yes, The Good and The Beautiful. Little Miss loves snakes, lizards, etc. so she’s going to love that unit.
The Boy is studying medieval history, which he is really enjoying, even though a lot of the names sound the same and are a bit confusing. We’ve recently found a series via the history channel app on Amazon that focuses on some of the aspects from the textbook. This textbook is very detailed, nitty-gritty stuff and I thought The Boy would balk at it but so far he’s been loving it.
For science, he is continuing Biology from last year but in January or February, we are starting Physical Science to make sure we get in all the science credits he needs to graduate high school in a couple of years.
For math, we are using CTC Math, which is an online program and for English we are reading individual books and right now we are reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. He is also working on grammar through Fix It Grammar.
I would say that The Boy spends more time on his lessons than Little Miss, but her lessons can be time-consuming depending on the specific area we need to focus on for her subjects.
Over all we are still enjoying homeschooling and the freedom it gives us to take trips together, visit their grandparents, and for them to explore topics and activities they are interested in.
